Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-10-21
Two Speeches.
Harrisburg Telegraph. ]

1dEElsoutH lciSSIapH.l
The old attorney was 10 talking
mood the other day when I asked
him what was the NEST impressive
speech be ever heard in the court
room.
There were Two Of them" be
said, land | can't tell you which i'm
pressed me most, but from amoug all
the speeches l have heard 10 court
these two stand out as NEST Impress
i've. The first was that of womau,
frail, delicate and intelec' ual, with
that sweet, charming thing in wo.
man, low, sweet voice. who was
trying to get her children from a
cruel husband, who had taken them
from her, and was at the time, living
with another woman. The case
came up before Judge Pearson
and the husband was represented by
distiug uished counsel. She was
placed in the witness stand ard one
of the attorneys, no longer s resident
of Harrisburg, but at present Presi-
dent of big university. put ques-
tion to her that brought up flood of
bitter things to the poor woman's
memory. Turning to the attorney
she said, mentioning his name:
'Mr. -, you have children and
you love them. They are your
pride, and your heart would break to
lose them. Listen. This man de-
serted me and left me in poverty
with my two children. | toiled for
them, starved for them-that they
might live and grow up virtuous and
lovable, that they might love and
honor me. Time and again | appli-
ed to that man pointing to her hus
band for assistance, but as often
was refused. | followed him to
Harrisburg, and my advances were
rejected with sneers and taunts
One day he secured possession Of the
of the children. promising to return
them when evening came. But night
came and the children did not re-
turn" And then she told how she
went to the house, and was refused
admittance and denied the privilege of
seeing her children, and she begged
and prayed that she might kiss them
goodnight. How, kneeling on the
steps in the cold night, she had pray
ed to God for her babies, and that He
would help her to get them, and then
how she was rudely driven away;
and about the horror Of that awful
night when she separated from them.
When she ceased talking there was
silence that was painful. There were
tears on the face of the venerable
judge, tears in the eyes of the attor-
neys and on cheeks of the spectators.
She had won her case and walked out
of the court house leading her babies
by their hands. This ended the at
tempts of the husband to get the chill.
dren.
"And the second speech?' | asked.
at was that of a colored man.
He had served term in the peniten
tiary upon conviction of murder in
the second degree for killing man
near Highspire, and came home to
settle down. He meant to do right.
and he was doing well, when in an
evil hour he joined in a game of
cards, there was a dispute, and a
knife lying on table. used to cut to-
bacco with, was seized by him and
plunged into the breast Of his oppo
nent. Then he arose and walked
away, and the wounded man died in
FIVE minutes. He was tried and
found guilty of murder in the second
degree, and in this State the o!iense
of this character is punished with i'm
prisonment for life. When asked if
he had anything to say why sentence
should not bs pronounced upon him
he made plea that shall never for
get OF course | can't give 1t to you
verbatim, but it was the most pa
thetic plea that | ever listened to-
He began by referring to tho time he
was 9 slave when he grew up ignor-
nant and untutored until the war set
him free. Then be told of his strug-
giles to get knowledge, and his sue
cess, meanwhile the court room grew
hushed and the low tones Of the pris-
oner's voice could be heard at the
door of the room. He referred to
his first crime, for which hs had
served so long, and depicted his life
in the penitentiarv. his hopes, his
fears, his longings for freedom, and
how he had determined to be good
man when be got out, and show the
10 him. Then he told of the
ioy he felt on crossing the threshold
of the penitentary to liberty, and the
cry he raised to heaven as he again
saw the blue sky and felt that he
was a free man. He spoke of his eff
forts to get work, how he succeeded
and attended to business, how he
put away evil things and Stunned
evil companions. With hushed
voice he told of his fall, how the man
he killed had been his enemy all
through life, had bounded him with
out mercy and sought to drag him
down, and yet he did not mean to
kill him And now he said, you
can put me in prison for life, but oh,
don't do it, kill me at once for to go
back again to prison cell for me
means slow. lingering death
When he had ceased there was a
sigh from every breast in the court
room. Poor fellow, the Judge had to
do his duty, and sentenced him to the
penitentiary for life. He died there
in few years. And these are The
two most impressive speeches | ever
heard in o court room"
Another Boom.